Fearing punishment from the master of the house, the headman immediately tried to shirk responsibility.
"My lord, it's not that I'm not doing my best, but there are thousands of refugees, and I simply can't stop them. Moreover, there are villains causing trouble, deliberately trying to harm our estate."
"Over there at Broken Gold Beach, they're giving out vegetables to the refugees in a big way. The refugees are jealous that we're not getting any, so they're targeting our village! It's all the Li family's fault for showing off and dragging us down with them. They're really despicable!"
Marquis Dingbei was naturally angry, but he didn't believe it entirely. He kicked the manor manager a few times, but ultimately couldn't bear to look at the mess on the ground, so he turned and left.
On the way, he still turned his horse around and took a long detour to "pass by" Suijintan.
As a result, when we turned off the road to Suijintan, there were actually homeless people queuing up!
It turned out that the people of Suijintan had acted quickly and harvested all the crops that were supposed to be harvested, leaving some unripe vegetables and other crops in the fields, which everyone felt was a pity.
So the village chief went to the city in person to ask for instructions.
Just then, Li Lao Er was thinking about home, so he took the day off.
However, since the Empress had not yet been laid to rest, it was not appropriate for him to move around and make a scene, so he stayed at the Earl's Mansion and did not return to Suijin Beach.
Suddenly, the village chief came to discuss the matter. After asking a few questions, he learned that the village had already reserved enough farmland for his family to live on for a year, so he immediately agreed to give away the surplus.
So the village chief went back happily and organized the villagers to build a large stove.
Chop up any excess potatoes and intact leafy greens, add them to broth and stew, or add a small amount of cornmeal and steam into cornbread.
Finally, they were delivered to the crossroads and given to the refugees, one bowl of vegetables and one steamed bun per person.
It wasn't a lavish meal, but it was enough to fill the stomachs of the refugees.
The refugees were extremely grateful to receive food without having to fight, berate, or be beaten.
Upon hearing that the host who had given away the food was the very person who had contributed the corn and potatoes, most of the people knelt down and kowtowed.
For the previous ten years, they were able to eat their fill and stay warm thanks to corn and potatoes.
Even though we are now on the verge of starvation again, we must not forget this kindness.
The people of Suijintan distributed steamed buns and dishes, casually informing everyone that the fields in the village had stopped producing anything, and that they had sent everything they could.
The refugees all nodded in agreement, since from a distance, Broken Gold Beach did indeed appear barren.
Of course, some people don't believe in superstitions, but they have no choice but to follow the rules.
Because the soldiers sent from the dockside military camp were divided into ten teams of fifteen men each, all carrying waist knives and constantly patrolling inside and outside the Broken Gold Beach.
Together with the four small teams of villagers and several large dogs, they protected the Broken Gold Beach so tightly that it was impenetrable...
Marquis Dingbei watched from a distance for a few moments, and hearing the refugees' extreme gratitude towards the Li family, he felt both jealous and angry.
He was angry that the Li family hadn't warned him sooner, which resulted in his estate suffering heavy losses.
They were even more envious that the Li family had gained the gratitude of the refugees and risen to a higher level of fame with just a few vegetable leaves.
On the way into the city, he kept thinking about how to vent his anger.
So, under the pretext of reporting on the situation outside the city, he entered the palace again.
The Emperor and the Crown Prince were getting increasingly impatient listening to the court officials continue their rambling.
The Emperor demanded, "Can you come up with any useful solutions?"
The prince, suppressing his temper, asked, "With so many refugees, and many more arriving along the way, it's unknown how many tens of thousands will eventually gather."
"If food and lodging cannot be arranged, it will be the biggest security threat to Xindu. Once chaos breaks out, it will be difficult to control. Moreover, the Maitreya Cult is watching us closely and could incite a riot among the refugees at any time!"
"My lords, at this time, please work together and speak freely!"
The court officials were also suffering. It wasn't that they didn't want to try their best to find a solution, but they simply had no other options.
That's thousands upon thousands of people; who can settle them down just by talking?
Moreover, a thousand people have a thousand different ideas. If their suggestions don't work in the end, or even worsen the situation, they will not only fail to achieve anything but also become the culprits.
Anyone who steps forward is a fool!
At this moment, the Marquis of Dingbei returned from outside the city. As soon as the news of his request for an audience was delivered, everyone looked up, wanting to hear what he had to say.
The Emperor and the Crown Prince were the same, so when the Marquis of Dingbei walked in, it was a scene of great anticipation, which surprised and excited him.
He was about to kneel down and perform the grand ceremony when the Emperor waved him off, asking, "How is it outside the city? How many refugees have gathered? Have they caused any trouble?"
Marquis Dingbei quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I was feeling unwell and had requested leave to return home to see a doctor. However, news came from the village outside the city that refugees were attacking the village, so I rushed over there."
"As a result, those refugees were truly outrageous. Hundreds of them stormed into my estate, destroying the crops and vegetables, and injuring the villagers. They were extremely arrogant and vicious."
"The law does not punish the masses, and I have no choice. When I returned to the city, I took a special look and found that the number of refugees outside the city was about to exceed ten thousand. The development is really rapid!"
"If this isn't dealt with soon, it'll cause a major disaster sooner or later. Even now, things are chaotic outside the city, with refugees looting and plundering everywhere, causing widespread resentment among the local people. I wonder if these refugees will storm the city gates next!"
Everyone's faces fell upon hearing this. The Emperor and the Crown Prince were worried about what to do with their property, while the other court officials were concerned about their families' assets, since everyone had estates and fields outside the city!
They must be frantic at home, but they're busy discussing matters with the Emperor and can't go out, so no messages are getting in...
Looking at everyone's expressions, Marquis Dingbei was pleased, feeling that the time was ripe, so he spoke up again to "put poison on the Li family."
He feigned hesitation and said, "However, there are exceptions."
exception?
What's the exception?
Sure enough, everyone looked at him, hoping he would bring some good news.
The Marquis of Dingbei, suppressing his excitement, said, "On my way back, I passed by Suijintan. I found that the produce in the fields of Suijintan was very clean, which shows that they started to take care of it early and did not give the refugees a chance to plunder it."
"However, perhaps the Li family was too busy and did not tell everyone."
"Now everyone has suffered losses and deeply resents the refugees, but the Li family has taken out grain and vegetables to help the refugees and win back their hearts."
"The refugees outside the city all say that the Li family is benevolent and righteous, and they wish they could treat the Li family as their ancestors!"
The court officials all frowned as they listened, subconsciously resenting the Li family for not sending them a message; they felt it was incredibly selfish of them…
The Emperor remained silent, but the Crown Prince spoke up in time, saying, "It has been two days since the refugees appeared. We in the city naturally do not know, but those in the Broken Gold Beach are outside the city and certainly have a clearer view of the situation."
"Moreover, the people of Suijintan Village fled from the famine in the north and endured a lot of hardship. It's not surprising that they are more vigilant about such matters than others. Now, they are giving food to the refugees, probably because they are thinking of the hardships they faced back then, and they have no other intentions. Your Excellency doesn't need to be so exaggerated!"
These words were blatantly biased and protective, and even if the crowd harbored some dissatisfaction, they dared not utter a single word.
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